2014 Chevrolet SS finally unveiled. No manual tranny offered.

LS3 power and big numbers, but no third pedal

The 2014 Chevrolet SS has finally been unveiled down in Daytona. There was no real mystery surrounding the new muscle sedan following a week in which we saw Holden roll out two versions of the new VF Commodore: the Calais V and later, the SS V. The latter arrives here as the Chevy SS.

While the unveiling was basically a formality, it did fill in one huge blank: the SS is powered by the LS3 V8 used in the current Corvette. In this guise, it'll make 415 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque.

Then comes the unexpected kick below the belt: the SS is only offered with a six-speed paddle-shift automatic. The manual gearbox so tantalizingly shown in the photos of the Commodore SS V? Evidently, that stays in Australia.

Wow.

Listen, I still expect the SS to be really good. Go drive a ZL1 Camaro or a CTS-V with the auto and you'll still walk away wide-eyed. But the SS with a manual would have been utterly stupendous. Go back to the last LS3-powered Commodore we had: the Pontiac G8 GXP. A great car, period. With the stick, however, it was something special. It was as if cars with the manual had an extra dollop of the secret sauce.

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So I'm probably not alone in feeling gutted right now. Chevy just unveiled a car whose entire name, SS, is a dog whistle for enthusiasts. And the most traditionally sporting, engaging, and entertaining transmission option is off the table.